Shortly after the introduction of the automobile, the steering wheel was adopted as the conventional mechanism for controlling the vehicle's steering. To this date, a wheel remains as the control mechanism for regulating the actuation mechanism providing directional displacement to the front wheels of the vehicle. Numerous important improvements have been made during the years to the steering actuation mechanism itself, the most noteworthy of which may be considered the hydraulically actuated power-assist devices commonly referred to as power steering. Those changes that have been made to the steering control mechanism located within the passenger compartment have mostly been cosmetic changes as well as modifications as required by the U.S. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. These latter changes include the requirement that steering wheels/shafts must be frangible or collapsible and exhibit limited rearward displacement in collisions. Even with these standards as mandated by the government, many deaths and injuries occur each year due to the present steering wheels and shafts, since, in any head-on collision of sufficient magnitude, the driver's chest area remains vulnerable to crushing and penetration during such accidents.
It thus follows that any vehicle steering system which would eliminate disposition of the steering wheel and its shaft from a position immediately in front of the driver will substantially enhance the safety aspects of motoring. U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,570 issued Nov. 12, 1968, to Brown illustrates an alternative arrangement for a vehicle steering wheel wherein a single transversely extending arm is substituted for the conventional wheel. This arm is in turn centrally attached to a crank member, the latter of which transmits directional displacement of the arm to a steering shaft leading to the vehicle steering actuation mechanism.